I would like to associate our many sponsors and partners who have come on board to support this special competition at The Trusts Arena.
I have been asked why stage such a competition as the OFC President’s Cup. The answer is clear. Strengthened relationships. I believe we must recognise that sporting and political ties with fellow confederations are crucial as we look to the future of football activity in our region.
By reaching out to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) in the spirit of friendship, our three organisations can each galvanise and consolidate our dreams, hopes and aspirations of our sport within each of our respective regions and within the wider global football community itself.
To this end, I would like to thank both the AFC President Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb for their unstinting support of this project.
I would also like to thank the players, team officials and fans of all six competing teams – Amicale, Auckland City FC, Bodden Town, Busaiteen, Fiji U-20 and Singapore U-23 – who have travelled great distances in some cases to compete in this tournament.
A debt of gratitude is owed to our community of sponsors and partners such as UNICEF, Sudima Hotel, Vuksich and Borich, Pegasus, The Trusts Arena, Pacific Direct Line, Kiwi Water, Omni Insurance Brokers, Unichem, Future Print and the FIFA U-20 World Cup Local Organising Committee, and I also acknowledge New Zealand Football, Northern Football Federation and the Auckland Football Federation.
The economic impact of hosting this event in Auckland is important to note – we have used local hotels, transport companies, training facilities and we sincerely hope this can become an annual event to benefit Auckland as a city and New Zealand as host nation.
I would like to extend my congratulations to our partners UNICEF on marking 25 years of Children’s Rights at the OFC President’s Cup. Our relationship with UNICEF is an important feature of this event and worthy given there are over two million children aged 5-14 years of in the pacific region today.
We hope to launch this internationally renowned project in New Zealand with UNICEF’s continued support.
Finally, good luck to the teams involved and I trust that all matches will be played in the spirit of Fair Play.
Yours in football,
David Chung
OFC President
FIFA Vice-President
PNGFA President